1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to guttering systems for collecting rain water running off a building's roof and directing the water away from the roof. More specifically, the present invention concerns a rain gutter cover system that enables the gutter to collect and direct the rain water while simultaneously preventing undesired debris from entering the gutter. The inventive cover system includes a plurality of unique fluted perforations for siphoning water through the system and into the gutter while screening out debris. In a preferred embodiment, the cover system includes a plurality of bull-nosed ledges that guard the fluted perforations, including a ledge running adjacent the roofline, as well as a plurality of ledges running transverse along the valleys of the roof.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Gutters for collecting rain water running off of a roof are known in the art. These gutters are typically U-shaped troughs open at their upper-most end that are affixed under the lower most edges of the roof and extend along the roofline to collect water that is running off of the roof. Prior art gutters are typically formed of aluminum and are anchored to the eaves of the building by metal spikes or hangers. The gutters are sloped slightly to direct the water into a connected down spout that in turn directs the water to a desired spill way or drainage area that drains the water away from the building's foundation. However, these prior art guttering systems are undesirably prone to collecting undesired debris such as foliage, trash, animal excrement and remains, toys, etc. Such debris often accumulates at bottle neck points along the guttering system, such as around the spikes or hangers, at the drop outlets to the down spouts, at bends in the gutters and/or down spouts, etc. Debris accumulation can become built up to the point that the guttering system no longer adequately drains water. Debris accumulation is also particularly problematic in gutters under a valley in the roof (e.g., where two differing slopes intersect, etc.) because the valleys tend to collect debris and drain it into the gutter below the valley. As a result, water undesirably accumulates in the gutters where it can run over the sides to an unwanted location, leak into the building, cause rot and/or rust damage to the building and/or guttering, and/or overload the gutters thereby pulling the gutters out of a proper working orientation.
It is known in the art to cover the gutter with a screen in an attempt to prevent debris from entering the gutter. It is also known in the art to cover at least a portion of the gutter with a non-permeable covering, or helmet, that narrows the ingress for water to thereby block larger debris from entering the gutter. These prior art cover systems are problematic and suffer from several undesirable limitations. For example, the prior art screens are particularly susceptible to debris becoming lodged in the grid openings, which in turn accumulates further debris thus compromising the ability of water to sufficiently drain into the guttering system. The prior art covers enable smaller debris to enter the guttering system, which in turn can accumulate in the gutters and down spouts thereby clogging the guttering system. Additionally, these prior art cover systems are particularly susceptible to animals building nests in and around the cover systems thereby undermining the systems' efficacy. Furthermore, heretofore, none of the prior art cover systems have addressed the problem of relatively large debris accumulation in and around the valleys in a roof, and even the most effective prior art cover systems become compromised by heavy debris accumulation beneath a valley.